Over the past 20 years, it’s become increasingly clear –
across many global industries – that the proper utilization of mobile
technologies can introduce otherwise unobtainable operational efficiencies that
help stabilize business performance despite frequent market volatility. Especially
in the energy sector.

Mobile technologies also create more value throughout the
supply chain, by aggregating voluminous data sets that can be thoroughly
analyzed – in real-time – to inform business actions and improve a company’s
capacity to reduce waste, maintain peak productivity levels, and extract new
efficiency from existing business processes.

In fact, Oil&GasIQ.com published a
set of mobility-related predictions for 2016 that validates a trend we’re seeing
in the energy sector: the more expansive implementation of mobile technologies
across onshore and offshore energy operations. The predictions indicated that
we’re approaching an intersection of mobility and IoT as organizations aim to
streamline “real-time device/machine connectivity, data access and decision
processing” via a collection of external equipment, sensors, forms, reports,
etc. Specifically, they noted the
following:

“In line with the
decreasing costs of mobile device platforms and the availability and range of
standards, lower costs will drive sensors and IoT development at small to
mid-tier independents worldwide…A low cost mobility environment could be a
saving grace for these smaller companies looking desperately to drive efficiency.
Companies now have the ability to fulfill many tasks remotely that, in the past,
necessitated costly manpower to adhere to compliance and regulatory reporting
criteria. This will drive better and more timely delivery of services and
servicing to these facilities.”

Bottom line, the oil & gas market has a lot to gain by
investing in field-proven mobile computing platforms that have the capacity to
seamlessly interface with highly complex networks of software and machinery –
and therefore connect energy workers with the real-time data necessary to take
fully-informed actions. However, many of the industry leaders we’ve spoken with
have expressed concern about the risk of mobilization. Given the current surge
of mobile technology utilization across upstream, midstream, and downstream
operations, there’s a chance that worker safety, data and device security, or
operational efficiency is being compromised on some level. In some cases,
companies are trying to force-fit “familiar” off-the-shelf technology components into an enterprise environment (such as consumer and commercial-grade PCs). Other
times, even when the necessity of an inherently rugged computer is understood,
there’s an inadequate amount of evaluation being conducted beyond confirmation
of the
MIL-STD-810G specs or IP ratings.

However, making concessions on the safety, security,
or performance of your mobility solution by choosing a “familiar” brand without
thoroughly vetting the entirety of the device’s capabilities means you’re
potentially compromising the safety of your workers and the security of your
operations – therefore impairing overall project success and business
performance in a highly competitive market.
Consideration must be given to the ancillary system components with which the mobile PC must
interface during project and engineering management processes. An upfront
assessment must also be conducted to identify the specialized accessories required
for safe computer use by heavy machinery operators, walking-and-working
personnel, and other field-based personnel.

In fact, there is an extensive
Feature Checklist that should always be referenced when compiling a short list of
suitable mobile computers for Oil & Gas industry application. But there are three sets of requisite
questions that should always be integrated into your technology evaluation
process, no matter the type of device you’re considering:

1. Safety:
Is there
any chance that the device will
be utilized – or stored – in a Hazardous Location (HazLoc)?
If you’re planning on deploying mobile
devices in support of oil & gas sector field operations, the answer most
certainly will be “yes” and you should
read this. Dust particles, flammable gasses and/or other explosive elements are
going to be found in proximity to refineries, pipelines, wells and offshore
rigs. That means that you’ve immediately narrowed the pool of viable mobile
computer candidates. Non-rugged devices are most certainly not engineered with
intrinsic safety methods and, believe it or not, many inherently rugged
computers are lacking these mandatory four-letter combos from their spec sheets
as well: ATEX or C1D2/C1Z2. If a device isn’t designed using intrinsic safety
techniques, it isn’t designed for safe use in an oil & gas environment.
Related
Read:
Why C1D2/ATEX Certifications Should Spark More Interest Within Explosive Environments

2. Security:
Does this mobile PC platform meet or exceed government-mandated security
standards?
You must be able to protect the sensitive
operational data transmitted via mobile devices, such as production volumes,
infrastructure issues, asset locations, and other insights that could be
exploited if accessible to competitors or others wishing to harm industry (and
national) interests. See the above
Feature Checklist to determine which security features you need for your
operating environment, such as an integrated Smart Card/CAC reader, fingerprint
scanner, etc. Note that many of your required security capabilities are not
commonly available with commercial devices, and infrequently seen as standard
features with rugged devices as well. And any device using a stock OS versus
Windows Professional or Android for Work will create security challenges.
Related
Read:
With Android for Work, Your Rugged Tablets Will WorkBetter for You

3. Sustainable Performance: How versatile
is this mobile computer? And will it adapt how (and when) you need it migrate
to new back-office systems as your workflow requirements evolve and sensor/IoT
capabilities advance?
The trend towards big data and predictive analytics
means that we can anticipate an exponential rise in data processing demands.
Automation will become prolific, and your ability to standardize on a single
computing platform will be contingent on the device’s ability to preserve the
integrity of your entire, and highly complex, back-office infrastructure
system. It’s not easy to rip-and-replace an entire mobile PC portfolio
considering that all of your mobile workflow software, your security
environment and your communication channels are provisioned around that one PC
platform. You must be confident – through a thorough testing program – that the
rugged, HazLoc-certified mobile computer you choose will be capable of
sustaining peak performance no matter what.

For example, we often hear oil & gas
leaders discuss systems integrity and lifecycle in terms of refining or
distribution infrastructure. Yet mobile technology’s immersion into all facets
of industry operations requires you to give due consideration to the potential integrity
– and realistic lifecycle – of the device since it will be highly susceptible
to failure if not engineered to automatically adapt to physical challenges or
scaling requirements. So you should also ask:

Can this
mobile computer sync with sensor and IOT technologies?

Is it
compatible with your existing IT infrastructure and workflow software? And will
it be capable of interfacing with your future tech systems without issue?

Does it
support mobile device management/enterprise mobility management (MDM/EMM)
software?

There’s no doubt that those operating within the oil &
gas industry can improve the safety, security, and productivity of workers
through the implementation of mobility solutions. However, one wrong technology
decision can compromise all of the above.

Watch this webinar for tips on how you can minimize that risk and
maximize ROI during any mobility project:

Last thought: Just because a PC form factor is rugged and
HazLoc-safe doesn’t mean it has the integrated capacity to support all of your
business processes or even the most routine workflow actions, such as visual
data capture via a built-in camera. Handhelds’ capabilities are limited to
simplified tasks and notebooks are increasingly burdensome to “mobilize” beyond
a mounted or desktop setup. In reality, automation and IoT wouldn’t be feasible
without the increased computing faculties of today’s rugged tablets, as they’ve
emerged as the only form factor flexible enough to transform into any PC form
factor your workers need – a handheld tablet, notebook, or desktop – and serve
as their primary computer as they transition from the field, to the vehicle, to
the office, and back. ATEX or C1D2/C1Z2 rugged tablets are also the only PC
platforms adept at expediting both routine administrative tasks such as
reporting and
specialized,data-intensive GIS-based data collection on wells and pipeline
intersections or testing and inspection tasks that require a peripheral
gyroscope. Check out these customer insights to understand why.

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